Question

break out rooms
think about the descriptions below.
classify each item as a metal, nonmetal, or metalloid.
share your list with your group and discuss any answers
that are not the same to come to a group classification.

description | classification
shiny new yeti cup
carbon in your pencil lead
yellow glob of sulfur
nitrogen in the air
silicon used in microprocessors
in cell phones
helium in a balloon
an aluminum can

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each item based on properties of metals, nonmetals, and metalloids:

1. Shiny new Yeti cup

Yeti cups are typically made of stainless steel (a metal alloy). Metals are shiny, malleable, and good conductors.
Classification: Metal

2. Carbon in your pencil lead

Pencil lead is graphite (carbon). Carbon (in graphite form) is a nonmetal (brittle, poor conductor, non - shiny in bulk graphite, but pencil lead is graphite).
Classification: Nonmetal

3. Yellow glob of sulfur

Sulfur is a nonmetal. It is brittle, a poor conductor, and has a yellow, non - shiny (in this glob form) appearance typical of nonmetals.
Classification: Nonmetal

4. Nitrogen in the air

Nitrogen is a gas at room temperature, a nonmetal. Nonmetals like nitrogen are often gaseous, poor conductors, and brittle (if solid).
Classification: Nonmetal

5. Silicon used in microprocessors (and in cell phones)

Silicon is a metalloid. Metalloids have properties between metals and nonmetals, and silicon is widely known as a metalloid used in electronics.
Classification: Metalloid

6. Helium in a balloon

Helium is a gas, a nonmetal. It is a poor conductor and has the properties of nonmetals.
Classification: Nonmetal

7. An aluminum can

Aluminum is a metal. It is shiny, malleable, and a good conductor of heat and electricity.
Classification: Metal

Final Classifications Table

Description	Classification
carbon in your pencil lead	Nonmetal
yellow glob of sulfur	Nonmetal
nitrogen in the air	Nonmetal
silicon used in microprocessors (in cell phones)	Metalloid
helium in a balloon	Nonmetal
an aluminum can	Metal

Answer:

To solve this, we analyze each item based on properties of metals, nonmetals, and metalloids:

1. Shiny new Yeti cup

Yeti cups are typically made of stainless steel (a metal alloy). Metals are shiny, malleable, and good conductors.
Classification: Metal

2. Carbon in your pencil lead

Pencil lead is graphite (carbon). Carbon (in graphite form) is a nonmetal (brittle, poor conductor, non - shiny in bulk graphite, but pencil lead is graphite).
Classification: Nonmetal

3. Yellow glob of sulfur

Sulfur is a nonmetal. It is brittle, a poor conductor, and has a yellow, non - shiny (in this glob form) appearance typical of nonmetals.
Classification: Nonmetal

4. Nitrogen in the air

Nitrogen is a gas at room temperature, a nonmetal. Nonmetals like nitrogen are often gaseous, poor conductors, and brittle (if solid).
Classification: Nonmetal

5. Silicon used in microprocessors (and in cell phones)

Silicon is a metalloid. Metalloids have properties between metals and nonmetals, and silicon is widely known as a metalloid used in electronics.
Classification: Metalloid

6. Helium in a balloon

Helium is a gas, a nonmetal. It is a poor conductor and has the properties of nonmetals.
Classification: Nonmetal

7. An aluminum can

Aluminum is a metal. It is shiny, malleable, and a good conductor of heat and electricity.
Classification: Metal

Final Classifications Table

Description	Classification
carbon in your pencil lead	Nonmetal
yellow glob of sulfur	Nonmetal
nitrogen in the air	Nonmetal
silicon used in microprocessors (in cell phones)	Metalloid
helium in a balloon	Nonmetal
an aluminum can	Metal